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“Mack!” Nova's voice seems to come from far away, barely audible over the roaring in my ears. “What's happening?”

Snow is yowling, too.

“I don’t know,” Miranda says, her tone laced with panic. “It should be working.” She hesitates, her eyes widening. “I don’t know what I did wrong. It should be working.”

“Do something!” Nova yells, her hands gripping my shoulders, trying to hold me still. “You said this would help him!”

“I…” Miranda falters, her face pale. “I don’t know if I can. The elixir might not be strong enough.”

Another wave of agony crashes over me, and I convulse, my back arching off the bed. It feels like I’m being torn apart from the inside out, like my very bones are shattering.

“You have to try,” Tanner says, his voice strained, trying and failing to hold me still as Nova drops to the floor and uses her wings to try and restrain Snow. “There must be something else you can do.”

Miranda shakes her head, looking helpless. Then, a spark of realization flickers in her eyes. “I have a contact,” she says, speaking rapidly. “Someone who might be able to help. But I’ll need to go to them. It’s the only thing I can think of but he’s⁠—”

“I don’t care who he is, just go,” Nova snaps, her eyes never leaving my face as she curls herself on top of Snow. “Hurry.”

Miranda nods, already moving towards the door. She pauses, looking back at us with a mixture of fear and determination. “I'll be as quick as I can,” she promises, and then she's gone, the door swinging shut behind her.

I'm barely aware of her leaving, lost in a haze of pain. My vision is starting to blur, darkness creeping in at the edges. I’m slipping away, falling into a void where there's nothing but agony.

With the last of my strength, I reach out, my hands fumbling for Nova and Tanner. Nova stands up. Snow is quiet now, breathing heavily. Nova grasps one hand, and Tanner takes the other, their grips tight and anchoring.

“Don’t leave me,” I beg, my voice a hoarse whisper. “Please. Don’t let me go.”

“Never,” Nova says fiercely, her tears falling onto our joined hands. “We’re here, Mack. We're not going anywhere.”

I stare at her. There’s someone behind her. A shimmering ghost of a figure. “Rose?” I reach out.

Nova and Tanner stare at each other, wide eyed. “His sister,” Tanner mutters.

Nova swipes tears from her cheeks.

Tanner squeezes my hand. “Hold on, Baloo,” he murmurs. “Just hold on.”

I cling to them as another spasm wracks my body, a scream lodging in my throat. The pain is all-consuming, a living thing that's devouring me from the inside out.

But even as I’m dragged under, even as the darkness claims me, I know one thing with absolute certainty.

They won’t let me go. They’ll never let me go.

17

KOLE

Hell’s stars, it’s dark. Pitch dark, which makes me think we should have done this during the day. When she was sleeping, still recovering. After a whole day’s rest, especially if she managed to find a supply of blood to restore her, she could be back to fighting fit.

And though Lucien is strong, I’m not sure he’s stronger than her.

“How old are you?” I ask as we dart through the shadows. Thornfield moves so fucking quickly, Kim and I can hardly keep up with him.

“Older than you,” he snaps.

“Older than Zephyra?”

“Yes.” Thornfield’s jaw twitches.

“You two have history.”